2 Samuel 7-8

Holman Christian Standard Bible

The Lord’s Covenant with David

7 When the king had settled into his palace^(A) and the Lord had given him rest on every side from all his enemies, ²the king said to Nathan the prophet, “Look, I am living in a cedar house while the ark of God sits inside tent curtains.”^(B)

³So Nathan told the king, “Go and do all that is on your heart, for the Lord is with you.”

⁴But that night the word of the Lord came to Nathan: ⁵“Go to My servant David and say, ‘This is what the Lord says: Are you to build a house for Me to live in?^(C) ⁶From the time I brought the Israelites out of Egypt until today I have not lived in a house; instead, I have been moving around with a tent as My dwelling.^(D) ⁷In all My journeys with all the Israelites, have I ever asked anyone among the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd My people Israel: Why haven’t you built Me a house of cedar?’

⁸“Now this is what you are to say to My servant David: ‘This is what the Lord of Hosts says: I took you from the pasture and from following the sheep to be ruler over My people Israel.^(E) ⁹I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have destroyed all your enemies before you. I will make a name for you like that of the greatest in the land.^(F) ¹⁰I will establish a place for My people Israel and plant them,^(G) so that they may live there and not be disturbed again. Evildoers will not afflict them as they have done ¹¹ever since the day I ordered judges to be over My people Israel.^(H) I will give you rest from all your enemies.

“‘The Lord declares to you: The Lord Himself will make a house for you. ¹²When your time comes and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up after you your descendant, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom.^(I) ¹³He will build a house for My name,^(J) and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.^(K) ¹⁴I will be a father to him, and he will be a son to Me.^(L) When he does wrong, I will discipline him with a human rod and with blows from others. ¹⁵But My faithful love will never leave him^(M) as I removed it from Saul; I removed him from your way.^(N) ¹⁶Your house and kingdom will endure before Me^[a] forever,^(O) and your throne will be established forever.’”^(P)

¹⁷Nathan spoke all these words and this entire vision to David.

David’s Prayer of Thanksgiving

¹⁸Then King David went in,^(Q) sat in the Lord’s presence, and said,

Who am I, Lord God, and what is my house that You have brought me this far? ¹⁹What You have done so far^[b] was a little thing to You, Lord God, for You have also spoken about Your servant’s house in the distant future. And this is a revelation^[c] for mankind, Lord God. ²⁰What more can David say to You? You know Your servant,^(R) Lord God. ²¹Because of Your word and according to Your will, You have revealed all these great things to Your servant.

²²This is why You are great,^(S) Lord God. There is no one like You, and there is no God besides You,^(T) as all we have heard confirms. ²³And who is like Your people Israel? God came to one nation on earth in order to redeem a people for Himself, to make a name for Himself, and to perform for them^[d] great and awesome acts, driving out nations and their gods before Your people You redeemed for Yourself from Egypt.^(U) ²⁴You established Your people Israel to be Your own people forever, and You, Lord, have become their God.^(V)

²⁵Now, Lord God, fulfill the promise forever that You have made to Your servant and his house. Do as You have promised, ²⁶so that Your name will be exalted forever, when it is said, “The Lord of Hosts is God over Israel.” The house of Your servant David^(W) will be established before You ²⁷since You, Lord of Hosts, God of Israel, have revealed this to Your servant when You said, “I will build a house for you.” Therefore, Your servant has found the courage to pray this prayer to You. ²⁸Lord God, You are God; Your words are true, and You have promised this grace to Your servant. ²⁹Now, please bless Your servant’s house so that it will continue before You forever. For You, Lord God, have spoken, and with Your blessing Your servant’s house will be blessed forever.^(X)

David’s Victories

8 After this, David defeated the Philistines,^(Y) subdued them, and took Metheg-ammah^[e] from Philistine control.^[f]^(Z) ²He also defeated the Moabites, and after making them lie down on the ground, he measured them off with a cord. He measured every two cord lengths of those to be put to death and one length of those to be kept alive. So the Moabites became David’s subjects and brought tribute.^(AA)

³David also defeated Hadadezer^(AB) son of Rehob, king of Zobah, who went to restore his control at the Euphrates River. ⁴David captured 1,700 horsemen^[g] and 20,000 foot soldiers from him, and he hamstrung all the horses^(AC) and kept 100 chariots.^[h]

⁵When the Arameans of Damascus^(AD) came to assist King Hadadezer of Zobah, David struck down 22,000 Aramean men. ⁶Then he placed garrisons in Aram of Damascus, and the Arameans became David’s subjects and brought tribute. The Lord made David victorious wherever he went.^(AE)

⁷David took the gold shields of Hadadezer’s officers and brought them to Jerusalem.^(AF) ⁸King David also took huge quantities of bronze from Betah^[i] and Berothai, Hadadezer’s cities.

⁹When King Toi of Hamath^(AG) heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer, ¹⁰he sent his son Joram to King David to greet him and to congratulate him because David had fought against Hadadezer and defeated him, for Toi and Hadadezer had fought many wars. Joram had items of silver, gold, and bronze with him. ¹¹King David also dedicated these to the Lord, along with the silver and gold he had dedicated from all the nations he had subdued^(AH)— ¹²from Edom,^[j] Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, the Amalekites, and the spoil of Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah.

¹³David made a reputation for himself when he returned from striking down 18,000 Edomites^[k] in the Valley of Salt.^[l]^(AI) ¹⁴He placed garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites were subject to David.^(AJ) The Lord made David victorious wherever he went.

¹⁵So David reigned over all Israel, administering justice and righteousness for all his people.

¹⁶Joab son of Zeruiah was over the army;
Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was court historian;
¹⁷Zadok son of Ahitub
and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were priests;
Seraiah was court secretary;
¹⁸Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over
the Cherethites and the Pelethites;^(AK)
and David’s sons were chief officials.^[m]

Footnotes

2 Samuel 7:16 Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr; other Hb mss read you
2 Samuel 7:19 Lit Yet this
2 Samuel 7:19 Or custom, or instruction
2 Samuel 7:23 Some Hb mss, Tg, Vg, Syr; other Hb mss read you
2 Samuel 8:1 Or took control of the mother city; Hb obscure
2 Samuel 8:1 LXX reads them, and David took tribute out of the hand of the Philistines
2 Samuel 8:4 LXX, DSS read 1,000 chariots and 7,000 horsemen
2 Samuel 8:4 Or chariot horses
2 Samuel 8:8 Some LXX mss, Syr read Tebah
2 Samuel 8:12 Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr; other Hb mss read Aram; 1Ch 18:11
2 Samuel 8:13 Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr; other Hb mss read Arameans; 1Ch 18:12
2 Samuel 8:13 = the Dead Sea region
2 Samuel 8:18 LXX; MT reads were priests; 1Ch 18:17